Prevent
driver distraction.This is the most important reason because it
affects not just your vehicle's occupants, but potentially many others. Pets and loose
objects are the 3rd worst in-car distraction according to a recent AAA study!
They were considered worse than cell phone usage (#6), eating & drinking (#5) and
adjusting climate controls (#4) (#1 is radio or CD player, #2 is children or others in car
- Source: Extra Magazine telecast 8-20-01). During 2000 in the US more than 1.5 million
accidents were caused by distracted driving! (Source: NBC Dateline telecast 6-19-01).

Protect
your dog.Your dog deserves the same protection as you and your family... In
a 30 mph. collision occupants of the vehicle can exert a force 20 times that of their
body weight! Seat belts and harnesses protect by absorbing some of this force and
distributing the load evenly across the stronger areas of the body, protecting the head,
neck, and body from injury. A dog restraint that reduces this potential impact force can
make the difference between life and death, and help prevent serious injury. The National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that:

inpatient hospital charges are on average
$5,000 higher for non belted occupants

Protect
yourself, your family, and other passengers in your vehicle. In an
accident, a dog can be thrown with hundreds or even thousands of pounds of force into
other occupants of the vehicle, easily causing life threatening injuries. A good restraint
system can help minimize this danger.

Make
it easier for rescue workers and EMTs to help in the event of an accident. A
dog that has been in an accident is likely to be shocked, confused, injured, and
protective. It does not understand what has happened and may attack people or rescue
workers indiscriminately and without additional provocation. Your dog may think that
people who come to help you actually caused the accident and are now coming to
attack again! Police officers have told us that they have shot dogs when in this
situation.

Prevent
runaways and daring escapes! Even well behaved dogs can have their
moments of "distraction". Far from home or on vacation is the worst place to
lose your dog. Dogs can also
get injured or killed jumping from even a slow moving vehicle.

Convenience.
It is easier to restrain your dog than to worry and guard against
escape every time a window or door is opened! This also means you may be able to leave
some windows open for ventilation.

Helps
dogs that get carsick or fear driving. Some veterinarians recommend
restraint systems to help stabilize a dog when braking, cornering, and accelerating. This
gives them a feeling of security and may help them overcome nervousness and the fear of
driving.

Restraints
may be required by law. California and several counties and cities in
other states now require all animals to be tethered in vehicles.